FirstEdition.xyz – Gandi customer (United States)
Blockchain-based services continue to give us some of the most exciting new developments we’ve had in technology. Every day we discover new applications. Uses of blockchain tech range from stock options trading and smart wallet naming to strong email encryption and event participation tracking. You can even link your .xyz domain to your Ethereum wallet and use it as a custom wallet address. Blockchain tech is popping up in all kinds of industries, as well. This week’s #WebsiteWednesday shows that the art world is the latest to join the trend with FirstEdition.xyz.
FirstEdition.xyz is an online gallery of rare blockchain-based digital art. Created earlier this year, the gallery exists entirely on the blockchain itself. Cryptocurrency art enthusiasts in Williamsburg, Brooklyn manage the gallery and cultivate its audience. Creators of the works in FirstEdition.xyz’s gallery use nonfungible tokens (NFTs) to make their art. An NFT is a special kind of token on the blockchain that represents something unique. Art from the FirstEdition.xyz gallery is purchasable through any Ethereum-based marketplace that supports ERC-721, the technical standard for NFTs. The entire artistic process for creators of the works on FirstEdition.xyz, from creation to sale, happens on the blockchain.
The gallery itself is named after its specialty of featuring many rare “first edition” works. FirstEdition.xyz provides a commission to the artist of any work sold from their collection. In addition to the FirstEdition.xyz site, the gallery promotes its collection to art fans and potential buyers through social media. They include the FirstEdition.xyz domain name right in their Twitter name so they are promoting the gallery with every post and reply they make. This is a smart tactic, as it helps their website reach more potential site visitors than if they only featured the link in their social media bio. They also send out a newsletter branded with their FirstEdition.xyz domain which features rare works, virtual galleries, creator tokens, and more.
The layout of the website resembles a real-life art gallery, embracing minimalist design to keep the focus on the art featured. FirstEdition.xyz displays each work along with the artist’s name, the name of the work, and an online handle for the artist. Buyers can sort the works to view only rare pieces as well if they want to purchase something especially unique.
Creativity and innovation are two traits that are abundant in the .xyz community. FirstEdition.xyz shows both by pushing the capabilities of blockchain tech-forward. Their blockchain-compatible .xyz domain lets them showcase their tech knowledge on a memorable, perfectly branded website. Join FirstEdition.xyz and the many blockchain fans using .xyz domains by registering your own for your latest project or follow our guide to use it as a custom name for your crypto wallet.
Today marks the 6th anniversary of .xyz’s launch. We’ve had an amazing journey so far, all thanks to you, the .xyz community. We would not have come this far without you. For six years and counting, all you innovators, creatives, entrepreneurs, and leading startups have chosen .xyz. You are our inspiration. Here are a few of our team’s favorites:
The .xyz community gives us many opportunities to share success stories. We have been tracking the startups launched by those who use XYZ Registry domains, cheering along these past 12 months as they secured more than $75 million for their companies. They have been featured in the news on TechCrunch, Forbes, The Verge, CNET, and Boston Globe. We had the chance to feature 52 new and innovative .xyz case studies at length through our #WebsiteWednesday series, published each week. In the past 12 months alone we’ve discovered and shared .xyz end users over 600 times. To this hard-working and incredibly fascinating .xyz community, thank you for all of the opportunities to sing your praises.
Thanks to our partners and their customers across the globe, worldwide adoption has kept .xyz as the most popular new domain name by usage. We have seen strong adoption in major emerging internet markets like Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. Adoption in countries with massive internet audiences like India, the United States, China, Japan, Australia, and Brazil, continues to grow.
We would not be where we are without the support and enthusiasm of our registrar partners. They have made it possible around the world for anyone to find their own .xyz. We are grateful to partners like GoDaddy, Namecheap, Dynadot, and Uniregistry, among many others, for the opportunity to spread the message that .xyz truly is for everyone, everywhere. We have you, our global .xyz community, to thank for giving us hope for a bright future full of innovation.
Engine.xyz – GoDaddy customer (United States)
The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic continues to have dramatic effects on daily life. Due to the worldwide scale of the situation, global markets, supply chains, and even entire industries are experiencing major upheaval. We’re proud to see .xyz community members jumping to action, like COVID-19 tracking system Cov19.xyz. You’ll find another great example of this problem-solving spirit in the tough tech companies supported by today’s #WebsiteWednesday: Engine.xyz.
Since its founding in 2016, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s “tough tech incubator” The Engine has provided funding, lab space, equipment, and mentorship to tough tech startups working to build world-changing technology. The Engine’s online home is Engine.xyz, and we published a feature on the site back when it first came online. In the years since its launch, Engine.xyz has used its $175 million in funding to invest in leading tough tech startups. Engine.xyz CEO Katie Rae says MIT founded Engine.xyz with the goal of “solving the world’s greatest problems with breakthrough technologies.”
The companies that Engine.xyz supports in their incubator are proving that mission by turning their efforts toward addressing COVID-19. One example is Engine resident E25Bio, a biotech and life sciences company focused on rapid and accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases. The company has redirected its entire team’s efforts to create a fast and accurate COVID-19 test. Testing is one of the most critical challenges in containing the spread of COVID-19. E25Bio’s solution to this problem is to create a paper strip test, which they say is an affordable solution that can be scaled for production in mass quantities. The test is currently undergoing human testing, and Boston Globe and Psychology Today recently reported on E25Bio’s work in quickly developing the test.
Another Engine.xyz resident taking COVID-19 head-on is Biobot Analytics. The company uses data analysis to improve wastewater infrastructure and public health, and says they are convening 100 wastewater facilities to track the spread of COVID-19 through the water system. Biobot Analytics co-founder Dr. Mariana Matus recently detailed this testing process on CNBC’s Squawk Alley program. In the interview, she explains that the wastewater data they are collecting represents about 10% of the U.S. population and will help officials decide where to deploy resources to slow the spread of the virus.
Overcoming obstacles is a talent of many members of the .xyz community. Engine.xyz’s work on COVID-19 projects shows that no challenge is too great for our community of end users to take on. An innovative spirit can overcome even the toughest problems, and we’re proud to see Engine.xyz displaying that spirit and making .xyz users around the world proud.
PushPad.xyz – Namecheap customer (Italy)
One of the most famous marketing campaigns of the digital era is the “There’s an app for that” ad. The phrase might be more accurate in today’s marketing than ever, as companies continue to roll out their new technologies in app form. With so many apps on the market, it’s important to make your app stand out from your competitors to attract users. Today’s #WebsiteWednesday will show you how one team of app developers showed their marketing knowledge and made their tool stand out to customers via its own dedicated website: PushPad.xyz.
PushPad.xyz is a web push notification service that delivers millions of web push notifications per hour for its users. The idea behind the service is to help brands re-engage with their target audience through notifications that appear in the top corner of their customers’ web browsers. The benefit of using a tool like this, PushPad.xyz says, is that it allows businesses to reach their customers at more targeted times than other contact methods. Major browsers listed as compatible with PushPad.xyz’s app include Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, as well as Microsoft Edge, and Android-based browsers Opera and Samsung Internet. PushPad.xyz says their service can work for businesses of any size, and they list step by step installation instructions for how to use the service right on their website.
When creating a website to promote your app, it’s important to detail how potential customers can use your service. PushPad.xyz accomplishes this through their homepage design, which visitors can scroll through and learn:
It’s helpful to keep this format in mind when you design a website for your app, as it can give potential customers the information they need to sell them on trying your service.
The PushPad.xyz main page also includes call-to-action (CTA) buttons at three different points. This is a wise design choice because it gives their potential buyers an easy way to get the app once they’re convinced they want to try it. Their dedicated pricing page gives potential customers a breakdown of the full cost of PushPad.xyz’s service and features another prominent CTA offering a free 1-month trial.
Another unique feature PushPad.xyz added to their website is a login portal for the app itself. Integrating the app with the website makes PushPad.xyz a one-stop solution for their customers to use their service. PushPad.xyz users can also contact the PushPad.xyz service team via a support page on the site, another feature that can help to improve their customers’ overall experience. PushPad.xyz even features a blog section, where the company shares best practices on web push notification strategies. The blog also provides updates and tutorials on PushPad.xyz features.
Right now is a crucial time to focus on reaching your audience via a strong digital presence. PushPad.xyz is a great example to other app creators of how you can harness the power of a dedicated website to attract customers and build up a user base. Ready to make a website that pulls in users for your app? Launch it on your own perfectly branded .xyz domain.
TwoSeven.xyz – Namecheap customer (India)
If you’re anything like the team here at XYZ, you’re probably getting through the current social distancing lockdown due to COVID-19 by watching a lot more TV and movies. In place of going out to a bar or restaurant, watch parties are becoming a weekend staple in the plans of many. While web chat services are a good fill-in for face to face conversations, they aren’t built to make it easy to watch a movie or show together on a group call. If you’re looking to host a killer movie night or add some company to your TV binging, try using this week’s #WebsiteWednesday: TwoSeven.xyz.
TwoSeven.xyz is a browser-based video service designed to let you watch TV shows, movies, and online videos with your friends together through the internet. The platform is made to allow each person in your group to watch on the same player screen, eliminating the need to countdown to start watching together on individual devices. TwoSeven.xyz’s service works by displaying the show or movie your group is watching in the main player box, while you can see and talk to your friends via video chat windows. There is also a text chat feature which can be a handy way to talk while the show is on without disturbing anyone.
To use TwoSeven.xyz with your friends, the first step is to create an account on their site and download the TwoSeven.xyz browser extension to your web browser. Then you’ll be able to start watching videos from YouTube, Netflix, HBO Now, Amazon Prime Video, and Vimeo with your friends. TwoSeven.xyz does not charge users to use their service and watch content from those platforms. If you want to watch content from your Disney Plus or Hulu accounts, you can upgrade to use the paid version of TwoSeven.xyz, available currently for $3 per month. You can also play personal videos from your Google Drive or OneDrive, as well.
Using TwoSeven.xyz’s service is made easier thanks to their decision to build the entire platform around their domain name. Because it is a browser-based platform, all you need to access it is your login and a web browser. There is no need to download any apps or software, which would tie your usage to a single device. When you want to start a watch party with friends, all you have to do is send them a TwoSeven.xyz custom link to join your watch room. Then, your friends can log in to their account and join you in the fun.
The idea for TwoSeven.xyz came to its creators when they were in a similar situation to the one that the world is living through now to flatten the COVID-19 curve. They were in a long-distance relationship and wanted to find a way to keep watching their favorite shows together. “When we were apart, we couldn’t watch together without the added pain of manually counting down on a Skype call to synchronize our videos. This was often inaccurate and sometimes even frustrating, particularly when one of us got to see and react to plot-twists before the other. As Computer Scientists, we knew we could do better, and ventured into building TwoSeven.xyz.”
The team behind TwoSeven.xyz has a special attachment to the name of their site, and keeping that name was a part of why they chose to brand with a .xyz domain. Their .xyz domain is now one of the most important parts of their brand identity. “Although availability, affordability, and “nice ring” were our initial reasons, a couple of other reasons helped us feel more at home with the .xyz domain:
Four years later, with even our Twitter handle being ‘@twosevenxyz‘, the domain has become an integral part of the TwoSeven service.”
TwoSeven.xyz is quickly becoming one of the most popular sites on the web. Trusted outlets like The Verge, The Signal, Gadgets Now, and TechHive all recommend TwoSeven.xyz’s service. TwoSeven.xyz ranks just outside the top 10,000 most popular websites in America right now, and is around the 50,000th most visited website in the world according to Alexa.
As TwoSeven.xyz shows, you can satisfy new market demands quickly and efficiently by harnessing the power of your website. When you build a web-based solution like TwoSeven.xyz, you also make it accessible to a global audience and increase your chances of widespread adoption. Do you have the right tech to fill needs you see for customers in today’s changing market? Follow TwoSeven.xyz’s lead and take the first step to success by launching it on your own .xyz website.
